Douglas Wilmer's Holmes.

Was gifted this complete collection of Douglas Wilmer's turn as The Great Detective. It was one I had never seen as much as an episode of before and this was really worth the wait. I men really worth it. I am more familiar with the second series when the legendary Peter Cushing took over the main lead even though not all the episodes he recorded still exist.Even from disc one when one of my favourite Holmes stories is given a most lavish treatment with stunning location filming in stark black and white I knew this was a real treat. It also has a damn fine turn by Patrick Troughton in one of his many one-off character roles as well so it was gravy all round. Not every episode of these lovingly recreated Doyle adaptions have survived but an attempt has been made to finish a couple with linking narration by Wilmer himself.
               Mister Wilmer's Holmes is a most endearing Holmes.Even though he is quick to smile in a way that Conan Doyle would never have intended. I treat different actor's interpretations of Holmes in the same way I approach different versions of the Doctor in that every version is one of a character I admire and trust to the integrity of the performer. I was reminded of the warmth and wisdom displayed by Christopher Plumber as Sherlock Holmes. in the seventies classic movie Murder By Decree. Again, it was not a performance that portrays Holmes as a human calculator and some die-hard Holmes fans have been known to get a bit sniffy but in the context of the various productions they work.
                The game is afoot and what a pleasure it is to follow in his footsteps from foggy old Baker street to the wind swept Cornish coast.All in glorious black and white. Crime never looked better.